I Can See It Now
by xFabinao
Summary: "I don't want to be in a relationship so stop trying to persuade me." "I haven't had a boyfriend yet, and I never, ever want one." Neither Eddie nor Patricia can find a reason to ever want, or trust love. But will a trip to America, with her sister, change Patricia's feelings? And will Eddie realize that he's not the only fragile person in need of someone? Peddie AU.
1. Mine

**A/N: I've had this lingering idea for a while, and have also been intrigued to write a Peddie AU for a while as well. I'm planning on including a few lines from a song before each chapter that might set the chapter mood or outline it a little bit. I really hope you guys enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own House of Anubis or the lyrics of "Mine."**

***o***

"_You were in college working part time waiting tables_

_Left a small town, never looked back_

_I was a flight risk with a fear of falling_

_Wondering why we bother with love, if it never lasts."_

_-Taylor Swift; Mine-_

***o***

"I'm so excited!" Piper clawed her perfect purple fingernails into her twin's wrist as she bounced up and down, a huge grin plastered to her face.

"I know," Patricia pushed away her sister's arm forcefully, "you've told me about a thousand times already." With an eye roll, she threw her head back onto the soft head of her seat and let out a tired groan. "I just want to sleep."

"Well here," Piper threw items in her purse around until she had a firm grasp on her white iPod, "I have _loads_ of classical music stored up on this bad boy. All you have to do is-"

"I know how an iPod works." Patricia snapped, pushing the device away from her face, towards Piper's.

"But classical music can help relax the mind-" Piper argued, to no avail.

"Yeah," Patricia shot her sister an insincere smirk, "by boring me half to death." She quickly pulled her auburn hair into a messy ponytail as she continued to talk to Piper. "Besides, I meant sleep as in on a bed that _isn't_ flying thirty thousand feet in the air."

"Well fine then." Piper put on her signature pout before sticking both ear buds into her ears which had been pierced once, in contrast to Patricia's five piercings up her right ear and three on her left. Although she rarely wore an obnoxious amount of earrings, or showed them off at least, Patricia didn't leave the house without at least one in each ear. They were essential to her everyday outfits, which generally made Piper scoff. ("You are such a bad person; leather jackets, leather boots, ripped jeans. I don't get your obsession with jewelry.") But in reality, Patricia's confidence level had been pushed down to an all-time low when she turned eleven. Her parents had gotten divorced and then shipped her and her sister off to separate boarding schools. Little things from her all-too-girly-to-admit past still were intertwined with her rebel ego.

Patricia took a quick glance out of the airplane window at the intense blue sky, painted with specks of white clouds. She let out a sigh. Although she knew that soon enough she would be okay with the trip, America didn't seem like all too brilliant of a plan anymore. Sure, she was thankful to get away from her mom and half-brother longer than just what the school year provided, but her dad had ordered her to go simply to keep Piper company. She knew that in reality he was nervous that Piper wouldn't be safe on her own, but Mr. Williamson had told Patricia that he felt that she deserved a vacation. But Patricia didn't want to hang around as a bodyguard. If she was going to spend in an entire summer in New Jersey, than she wanted to be at the shore. Instead, she was bound to the local Princeton hotel, assisting her sister with anything she needed while she studied her summer music course.

Heaving a sigh and taking a final glance over at Piper and then back at the window, Patricia shut her eyes, willing her mind to fall asleep and forget that she was on her way to an entirely new life.

***o***

"Oh my Eddie!" Mrs. Miller wrapped her son in a bone crushing hug, and kissed the side of his head. "I haven't seen you in ages!"

"It's good to see you too mom." Eddie patted her bag gently, embracing her all the same.

"C'mon," with her bony hand, she grabbed onto his muscular arm and pulled him into the recently re-done kitchen. "I think we should have a chat like adults." Eddie's heart stopped – the last time his mom had said something like that he spent an entire torturous afternoon learning about male puberty from her perspective. Mrs. Miller cracked an amused smile at his ghost-pale face. "Honey, I just want to hear stories about college. Plus I think it's fair to let you have some coffee now that you're all grown up."

Eddie smirked as he watched his mother grab mugs from the cabinet and begin brewing a pot of coffee. Did she honestly believe that all of those hours spent working at Small World Coffee had managed to keep him_ away_ from the drink? If so, she was hugely mistaken. Eddie would admit it to anyone expect his mother or step-dad that he _loved_ coffee.

Thankfully wrapping his hands around the hot mug, he followed Mrs. Miller out on to the back porch and took a seat on the ledge.

"_So_," Mrs. Miller shot him a grin, "how was it? Hard? Did you go to parties? Meet any cute girls?" She pushed on his knee in a teasing way, the foolish smile still plastered to her face.

"No mom." Eddie sighed. "Have I not told you that I'm not going to get into any relationships until after college at least a thousand times?"

"Oh psht." She waved her hand dismissively, sending her silver bracelets down her thin arm with a _clank! _"If you wait for another three years than you're going to be all old and ugly. Meet a girl, fall in love it's easier then you seem to think."

"Easier said than done." Eddie leaned back with a groan, "There are a lot of cute girls even here in Princeton, but I don't know what I want yet. I'm a surprisingly fragile person," Eddie avoided reminding his mother that the reason for that was because of the situation between his parents. He could still clearly remember that day in England when she had dragged him by his small-three-year-old arm to her car and drove them directly to the airport. The issue was, and Mrs. Miller reminded Eddie this constantly, that both she and Eric were young at the time. For that reason though, Eddie couldn't possibly understand why his mother would want him to fall in love if it could result in the same issue. "I don't want to hurt a girl that I love and I don't want someone to hurt me. Once I have my school and career sorted out than I'll be able to manage finding someone."

"Oh Eddie, you're so good looking, no girl in her right mind would leave you."

"For the last time," memories flashed through his eyes as he snapped at his mother, "I don't want to be in a relationship so stop trying to persuade me."

"Okay then," Mrs. Miller placed a hand on her song's leg, calming him down. She didn't want to get into an argument this early in his time back home. "How about we talk about apartments? Are you still thinking about moving?"

Eddie regretted yelling at his mom the second he did it. He wasn't a little kid anymore, she couldn't punish him. Now, they were both adults that had to respect each other, and Eddie was simply getting used to the feeling. "I-I'm not sure. I love coming here and all, but I think that I need to get my own place. Of course I'd be over here for meals every day," the two exchanged a smile, "but I stay on campus all year and coming home for the summer almost makes me feel dependent."

"I understand," Eddie hadn't really been waiting for his mother's approval, so he wasn't surprised when she followed up her statement with more words, "but I have a thought; if you wanted to maybe not buy an apartment." Eddie was all ears, expectantly hoping for her to offer him their vacation home or something of the sorts. "I was thinking that maybe you'd want to live in England with your dad for the summer-"

"No!" Eddie said exasperatedly. "I hate it there. Dad doesn't care-"

"I was just hoping that you would maybe give it a try, I don't really know if you should be around here for your _entire_ life."

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" Eddie squinted at his mother curiously.

"Of course not honey."

"I thought you were excited to see me." Eddie rolled his eyes with a scoff. "But you're always too busy hanging out with John. Who gives a crap about John mom? If you two are so wrapped up in your own lives that you don't want me around then fine; maybe I will find my own apartment." He placed his mug down angrily. "But I am never going back to England."

***o***

"Ooh look!" Piper squealed grabbing onto Patricia's bracelet covered arm. "That sign says Williamson! This is like special treatment! Daddy got us a taxi driver in advance!"

"Oh you're just lucky that dad baby's you." Patricia rolled her eyes before grabbing her rolling suitcases' handle and following her sister through the airport. The red headed twins weaved their way through groups of lost-looking teens, perfect families with two kids that had head's decorated with blond hair and wore sophisticated clothing, and numerous old couples, before they were standing in front of a tall Japanese man.

"Ah!" He exclaimed, carefully taking both girl's luggage. "My name Kenzo! You Williamson twins? No?"

"Yes that's us." Piper grinned up at him as she elbowed Patricia's gut.

"Nice to meet you." Patricia forced out with a fake smile.

"Pahper an Putricia? No?"

"I'm Piper." Piper volunteered with a toothy grin.

"Patricia." Patricia mumbled, as she attempted to take her bags back from Kenzo's grasp.

"She's not very good with first meetings." Piper exclaimed calmly, holding her arm over Patricia. "Now stop." She hissed quietly enough for only her sister to hear.

"He took my bag." Patricia argued. "Maybe he's a phony. This is why you can't survive on your own out here."

"Dad hired him, so shut up and just let him take us to our hotel. Do you want to sleep or not?" Piper snapped, pushing away the insult from her sister.

"I hate you." Patricia scowled, crossing her arms and then warily following Kenzo through the airport to their taxi. "You want to know what else I hate?" Patricia finally burst as they made their way out of the airport parking lot. She continued on when neither Kenzo nor Piper responded, "I hate how they drive on the left side of their cars in America."

"There are going to be _a lot_ of things that you hate about America." Piper explained from the front seat.

"Like what? It's not like you have any _real_ experience here."

"Remember how my school took my trip to Princeton University before I decided to take the summer course?" Piper grinned when Patricia let that realization sink in. "So, yeah, I have more experience than you, like I know for a fact that you are absolutely going to _despise_ American boys. They're all such jerks."

"Compared to the boys in England?" Patricia challenged. "A boy's a boy. " She took a sigh as she stared out the window at the passing landscapes. "But there really isn't any need to worry. I've never had a boy issue before."

"That's probably because you've never _had_ a boy before."

"And _that's _probably because I know exactly what love is; a lie." Patricia repeated that same line for probably the thousandth time since her parent's split up. "I haven't had a boyfriend yet, and I never, ever want one."

***o***

**A/N: Let me know what you thought! This was meant to be a prologue, but when I wrote this it didn't turn out exactly that way. Next chapter though, Eddie and Patricia are going to meet for the first time! :)**

**Love you guys!**

**~Grace**


	2. Call Me Maybe

**A/N: I want to sincerely thank everyone who read, favorite, followed, or favorited the last chapter, especially since it was the most boring one. ;) I got such great reviews and support, and your words truly meant the world to me. I can't guarantee that I'll be updating other chapters this quickly, but I had this written previously, and I couldn't help posting this due to your kind words. So, thank you again, I really do love you all! :) **

**Disclaimer: I don't own House of Anubis or the lyrics of "Call Me Maybe"**

***o***

"_I wasn't looking for this, but now you're in my way._

_Your stare was holding, ripped jeans, skin was showing, hot night wind was blowing, _

_Where you think you're goin baby?_

_Hey I just met you, and this is crazy, but here's my number, so call me maybe._

_It's hard to look right, at you baby, but here's my number, so call me maybe."_

_-Carly Rae Jepsen; Call Me Maybe-_

***o***

"Okay," Piper turned on her heel, sending her smocked dress into a spiral around her legs, "you have to be back here in exactly two hours and twenty eight minutes, got it?"

"Why don't I just sit here?" Patricia replied sarcastically, "I thought I was _supposed_ to guard you."

"Don't be silly, I can handle myself." With a grin on her face, Piper hit her twin with the rolled up map of the Princeton University campus in her right hand. "_You_ can't possibly stay here, in this hall of fabulous music, for over two hours. Here's a book for you as well," She shoved her copy of A Christmas Carol into Patricia's unwilling hands, "it's a good read, and my _favorite most precious_ childhood book. You're lucky I'm even letting you touch it. You can't let anything happen to it. Okay?"

"Gee, thanks." Patricia pulled her purse up higher on her shoulder and slid the book under her arm. "I'll be somewhere probably eating or something, just not reading whatever… this is." She pointed to the book under her arm. "Call me if you get lost, kidnapped, murdered, or," Patricia grinned, "If I'm late."

"Well there's a load of nice possibilities." Piper mumbled inaudibly under her breath before waving a goodbye to her sister and skipping down the hall towards her class.

Patricia shook her head lightly and then walked out of the building's front doors and down the sidewalk. The heat was almost relieving. It was hot enough for Patricia to experience a hot summer in contrast to London's frequent storms and gray clouds, but plenty cool enough for her relaxation to not be ruined. Her eyes wavered on every window display that decorated the town's stores. From peeling paint to cracked windows, and dying plants, Princeton hadn't completely fulfilled Patricia expectations, but she discovered somewhere full of character. She smiled at the thought of possibly _enjoying_ her time in America.

Well, that is until her shoulder was shoved by a tall boy as he scurried past her, quickly attempting to button up his white top as he neared the entrance to the Small World Coffee shop.

"Watch where you're going will you?" Patricia called after him, placing a hand on her hip and a satisfied smirk on her face.

"Sorry!" He called back, trying to pick up the paper's he had dropped in the process.

"What's the matter with you anyway?" Patricia neared him, which she knew was a _huge _mistake in Piper's eyes, but after all, the mysterious guy had already apologized _after_ she was a jerk to him. Besides, even being a jerk in the first place had bent numerous instructions. ("One: Don't talk to strangers. Two: If you do, be polite. Three: Be yourself; don't feign rudeness, or in your case, kindness.")

"First day back," he explained hurriedly, "I have to open up shop."

"Yeah, well I highly doubt you want to show up looking as if you've just had sex either." Patricia countered with a grin.

"What?" The boy seemed genuinely taken aback by her statement.

Patricia laughed at his confusion, inching closer to him. "I won't bite," she said, "probably."

"What are you doing?" His hand was on the door handle anxiously. In his head he wanted to run inside and ignore that this random girl was so close to him, but a small portion of his head told him otherwise.

"I'm fixing your hair." She explained, brushing the mess of blond hair out of his eyes. "And you have to fix your shirt."

The boy glanced down at his top, which was buttoned completely incorrectly. "oh," he sighed, flustered.

"What are you so worried about?" Patricia squinted at him curiously, "I've decided not to hurt you as of right now, relax."

"Oh aren't you sweet," The boy interjected, fixing the final button of his shirt and throwing open the door of the café. Patricia followed him with an eye roll.

"Plus I already have a boyfriend." He jumped when she spoke. Why had she followed him inside? Patricia wasn't sure why she was still near him, or why she thought to even lie to him about having a boyfriend. For some odd reason though, she felt that it would keep her safe and the situation from going past awkward. Even though she hadn't even so much as kissed anyone yet.

"That's great." The boy started to pull chairs off of table tops, and turn on the café's lights. "'Cause I have a girlfriend."

"Psht." Patricia scoffed, "sure you do. Whatever."

"What do you care Hermione?"

"Hermione?"

"I don't know your actual name and your accent's a bit difficult to understand. You're whiny too." The American drew out his explanation, sprinkling in bits of his attempted British accent.

"_Whiny_?" Patricia crossed her arms. "My name's Patricia but if you're going to throw around nicknames than I'd be happy to give you one."

"Oh really?" He looked up at her cheekily. "I'd like to see you try."

"Douchebag." The blond seemed slightly taken aback that the words had fallen from her mouth, but he quickly recovered himself and threw his best at her.

"Blabs."

"Oh real creative." Patricia rolled her eyes. "Weasel."

"Yacker." The boy gave her a cocky grin. "Yacker. That actually really works for you."

"You still haven't told me your real name." Patricia tapped her foot impatiently.

"You know," he ran a hand through his hair; "the café doesn't open for another half an hour so you're really not supposed to be here."

"So?" Patricia tested.

"So if you want to stay and chat, than you have to help me out too."

"I'm only staying because I want too. Not to chat." Patricia defended herself while she began setting out tables. The two worked in silence for a couple of minutes before the American hung his head with a laugh.

"Almost forgot Yacker. My name's Eddie."

Patricia stifled a laugh. "Eddie Kruger?"

"Freddie." Eddie started laughing hysterically, "I think you mean Freddie Kruger."

"You know what?" Patricia turned to him, "regardless of what that freaking name is, you're still a nightmare."

"And who told you that you were some sort of fairytale dream princess?" Eddie countered.

"No one." Patricia started brewing a coffee pot and shrugged, "no normal person said fairytale dream princess either."

"And that, my dear Yacker, is because no one here is."

"You mean no one here's normal or that you're not dreamy-"

"Sorry I'm late Eddie!" An old, plump woman with fake orange curls that bounced off of her meaty shoulders sauntered into the kitchen, a broom in hand.

"Daphne!" Eddie hugged the woman as if she was his long lost mother. "I haven't seen you in forever!"

"I know Eddie-bear." She squeezed his cheek, "how's the college life been treating you?"

"Great, I've been-"

Patricia cleared her throat, "Excuse me, stupid American boy, yes, hi, you're supposed to stack the dishes up so that they don't break all over the floor." She held pointed to his lame pile of mugs and plates stacked up on each other, all of them teetering in different directions and the entire pile emanating a nerve-racking noise.

"Very cute Yacker." Eddie rolled his eyes and turned his back to begin stacking the dishes normally in an attempt to hide his red cheeks. He _didn't_ mess up in front of Daphne. She had been his boss for nearly five years and had almost become a second mother to him.

"Oh dear I didn't even see you there!" Daphne wrapped Patricia in a hug, which she was reluctant to return, as if they'd known each other forever. "Now are you Eddie's lucky lady friend by any chance?" She winked at both of them.

"No!" They responded simultaneously, the same exasperated look on both of their faces.

"Well," Patricia cleared her throat awkwardly and then shot Eddie a death glare, as if it was his fault entirely that she had just been embarrassed by two complete strangers, "I should probably get going Eddie-bear." She mimicked the older woman's motions; pinching his cheek, "I might see you again," she opened the door, but before leaving added, "But hopefully I won't." With a triumphant smile on her face, she started walking down the now semi-crowded sidewalks of Princeton, hoping not to only familiarize herself with the area, but take her mind off of that annoying-as-hell American boy that she couldn't seem to shake out of her head.

***o***

"And then we reviewed all of our scales and arpeggios as well as our chromatic scales, before going on to play in front of the entire class!" Piper twirled around gleefully, "It was the best time of my life! I played a really challenging song that made everyone gape and-"

"Look, sis, I love you but could you just shut up?" Patricia rolled her eyes, and then took a seat at the table. "And if you're not going to be quiet, at least stop twirling like a ballerina."

"I'm twirling like a _musician_ because I am one," Piper argued, "but if I can't talk, and because I'm actually the kind sister here, I want to know what you did." Piper scooted into the booth across from her twin, quickly scanning over the menu.

"I snuck into a café that wasn't open yet with some random guy." Patricia stifled a laugh at how awful she knew Piper thought that sounded.

"Patricia Williamson! I'm so astounded," Piper's cheeks burned at even the thought, "I just – I can't believe- I mean-" Crossing her arms, and putting a pout on her pink lips she asked, "why are you laughing about this?"

"I'm glad you're too serious sometimes." Patricia tapped Piper's head with the long red menu in her hand. "The guy's name is Eddie. Don't worry, I made sure he wasn't a murderer or rapist before approaching him, and when I figured out that he was the general annoying American guy, I decided to help him set up the Small World Coffee shop, which is where he works. Nothing happened."

"I can't believe you would scare me like that." Piper shook her head as she thought about her sister's words, "or that you would still go into an un-opened café with only one person, who could have harmed you! There wouldn't have been anyone there to protect you!"

"That Weasel has no intention or capability of hurting _anyone_. He's weak and yet in some mixed up way adorable." Patricia eye's flicked up in surprise as her face turned a deep scarlet. _Had she really admitted that?_

Piper bit back a huge grin, "do you have a crush Trixie? I thought you weren't going to be attracted to anyone for the rest of your life-"

"Exactly. I'm not. I was talking about…" Patricia trailed off self-cautiously. "Please just change the subject for me okay?"

"Fine. But we're coming back to it." Piper whispered when a waitress approached their table. Due to their conversation, the girls took an exceptionally long time to order. (Plus Patricia's manners were corrected by her sister numerous times.) The waitress, Kimmi, seemed unbelievably relieved when she was finally able to walk away from the table with both orders.

"Anyway," Piper turned back to her sister, feeling slightly embarrassed by the entire ordering fiasco, "did you decide to start reading A Christmas Carol?"

Patricia started choking on the water she was drinking. _Damn. She left it there for the American to find._ "I just need to go to the bathroom, okay? I'll be back in like twenty minutes!"

"Twenty minutes? Wait! Patricia!" Piper sighed, and then slumped her shoulders back, when Patricia fled out of the restaurant. Wherever she was going, it wasn't the bathroom. Piper almost felt the urge to follow her, but decided against it mainly because she knew it was rude to leave a restaurant without a reason why. Her explanation wouldn't be good enough; everyone there could most likely already tell that Patricia was completely capable of handling herself. Even though they didn't know either one of the girls.

"Move!" Patricia pushed past teenagers, children, and adults alike, careful to not trip and humiliate herself as she rushed down sidewalks and across streets. If Piper had come, they would still have been checking to make sure no cars where headed straight at them with the intention of "running them over." She hastily threw open the small green door of Small World Coffee, letting out a huge breath when she was inside.

"Geez." Eddie scoffed without looking up. "I promise that there' still food left no need to- oh." He grinned menacingly at Patricia who was still panting lightly and had pulled her hair up into a messy bun on top of her head, mid-run. "You came for your book?"

"My sister's book actually." Patricia answered. "So do you have it?"

"Well you definitely didn't strike me as the reading type, but," Eddie placed his palm on the granite counter top, pushing himself over it, and onto the floor, "I figured that you might have someone read out loud to you or something." He reached above her head to a shelf _lined_ with literature and pulled the book off of the end that it was resting on.

"Shut up." Patricia snarled, yanking it out of his grasp.

"It was nice to see you again too Yacker. Although I'm pretty sure that you said you _weren't_ planning on returning. So," Eddie was too close to comfort for her now, his breath tickling her face. "What brought you back?"

"The book stupid." Patricia hit him on the head with the hard copy cover as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, and then without another word flew out of the café and back down the street. The truth was; she easily could have waited to get the book. She could have sent Piper, but the issue that was nagging at Patricia's thoughts was the fact that she had almost _wanted_ to go back. She just wanted to take a good look at Eddie's face again, and now that she had, she regretted it. She felt like she would never be able to get rid of his cute smirk, or deep, husky voice, or that shiver that had run up her spine when their faces were only centimeters apart.

She finally made it back to the restaurant and sat back down in her seat, throwing the book in Piper's direction. "That was a quick trip to the loo," Piper said sarcastically, "only fourteen minutes."

"Shut up Piper."

"I'm just saying!" her twin held up her hands in surrender before beginning to eat her salad.

"My soup's cold." Patricia complained.

"Yeah, I wonder why." Piper rolled her eyes sardonically.

"You know," Patricia pointed her fork at her sister, "just be glad I cared enough to go back and get that for you."

"Or maybe you went back for Eddie?"

"Fo-for what?" Patricia stuttered. Twin telepathy was _not_ something the two commonly shared. If they did it was faint, and that was generally, the way Patricia liked it. She hadn't mentioned the cafe as the place that she had left the book, and she certainly hadn't told Piper that Eddie had been waiting for her there for her, with the book resting in a convent spot.

"You're unbelievably naïve sometimes." Piper giggled, pulling a lime green sticky note off of the back of her novel. "I know you like him."

"Give that to me." Patricia yanked the paper out of her sister's grasp. She held her breath as her eye's scanned the sticky note. Eddie had his name scribbled down next to a smiley face. Written sloppily in an uneven path was his phone number. Patricia was really astounded though, by the words he wrote underneath; _call me if you ever want to just talk._

Just talk? Patricia didn't know if she was disappointed that he seemed uninterested, or thankful that he seemed willing to at least be her friend. "It doesn't matter." The Brit pretended to crumple the paper and seem blasé for Piper's sake, but really, she slipped it into the pocket of her purse where her phone was. "I'm not going to call him."

***o***

**A/N: So it didn't exactly fulfill the lyrics of "Call Me Maybe" but I still tried to get the point across. Tell me what you thought, and enjoy the new episode tonight! **

**Love you guys! :) **

**~Grace**


	3. Begin Again

**A/N: I want to start with a HUGE thank you to everyone over the course of both chapters. The story's still fresh and just getting started, but your support thus far means the world to me. :) And just a side note, although I weaseled this information into my writing, this chapter takes place three days after Patricia and Eddie meet. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own House of Anubis**

***o***

"_Walked in, expecting you'd be late, but you got here early and you stand and wave,_

_I walk to you._

_You pull my chair out and help me in, and you don't know how nice that is, but I do._

_And you throw your head back laughing like a… little kid._

_I think it's strange that you think I'm funny."_

_-Taylor Swift; Begin Again-_

***o***

"I just don't get it." Patricia paced around the hotel room in sweats, allowing her hair to air dry. She tapped her phone against her hand incessantly, and bit down on her lip. Piper, who was lying face flat on her bed, let out a groan.

"Juusttt call him already!" She whined, wrapping the white pillow around her head so that it covered her ears.

"But he told me he has a girlfriend!" Patricia argued.

"And _you_ told him that you have a boyfriend." Piper sat up, completely giving up on her hopes of actually resting. It was just impossible to do so with Patricia around. "Face it, they were both lies."

"Yeah, well he_ can_ get a girlfriend. I obviously don't have that kind of luck."

"But Eddie doesn't know that." Piper raised her eyebrows at her sister's confused face. "If he wasn't lying than he wouldn't have been so confident to give his number to a girl who claims to have a boyfriend. Besides, he did only say to talk." Piper shrugged, "Maybe that's all you'll be doing."

Patricia ignored the urge to snap at her sister for putting a damper on _her_ idea of what he had meant when he gave her his number. "What if he's playing some sort of joke?"

"You barely know him. So, if it is a joke then it won't matter; you won't see him again. And if it's him really, actually, honestly being interested, then you two will be in agreement. Just call him." Piper let out a yawn. "So that I can get to sleep."

Patricia inhaled deeply, took a glance over at her sister who was covered in blankets, and the pressed the call button on Eddie's contact. (She had made that almost immediately after receiving his number; calling him was the difficult part.)

"…Hello?" Patricia smiled at Eddie's groggy, sleep-driven voice. It _was_ almost twelve o'clock in the morning, but she hadn't expected him to be asleep.

"Hi Eddie, it's Patricia." The words were molasses as they fell from her mouth.

"Yacker!" She could almost imagine him smiling on the other line. "Finally decided to call me, huh?"

"It's only been three days. Shut up." Patricia felt relaxed as their conversation slowly rolled into a friendlier, more comfortable zone.

"So… how have you been?"

"Fine. America's nice… I guess."

Eddie chuckled. "You just don't know it well enough yet. It's actually amazing. How about we catch breakfast tomorrow at my shop and then I take you on the grand tour of Princeton?"

"Um… okay." Patricia was surprised, but secretly delighted, by his offer. "Don't you have to work though?" She didn't want to weasel herself out of their plans, but she was still nervous nonetheless.

"Nope. I'm off tomorrow."

"Oh. That's great." Patricia felt butterflies in her stomach as a small grin spread across her face. "I'm sure Piper will be fine if-"

"Piper?"

"My sister." Patricia glanced over at her sister's sleeping form. "I'm supposed to take care of her and all of that while she's here. She's taking a summer music class."

"Cute. How old is she?"

"She's my twin, stupid."

"And you're taking care of her?" Eddie ignored the insult that Patricia had thrown at him because he figured he'd have to get used to that if he wanted to hang out with her.

"She's pretty weak and all of that crap. Plus my dad's really over protective of her. But still, she should be perfectly fine on her own tomorrow, and hopefully the rest of the summer so that I can enjoy myself."

"Unless you wanted to bring her?"

"Already hitting on my sister are you?" Patricia made it a joke, but she started to question Eddie. What if he actually was a player?

"No! No! Of course not. I just thought-"

"I'd love to get rid of her for a day. Tomorrow I'll just be bringing myself."

"Okay." He smiled lightly to himself. "I'll see you tomorrow at nine?"

"Yeah."

"Okay see you then."

"See you." Patricia hung up the phone with a satisfied grin on her lips and butterflies attacking her stomach. She fell back onto her bed with a relieved sigh and closed her eyes happily. America wasn't _that_ bad after all.

***o***

Patricia caught herself off guard when she walked into Small World Coffee at exactly nine o'clock and found Eddie already sitting down. With a smile that made the incessant-since-last-night butterflies in her stomach threaten to crawl up her throat, Eddie stood up and waved her over. She smirked back; hiding her pearl white teeth with the use of her red lips, and then weaved in and out between tables and customers to get to his side.

"Hi, Yacker." Patricia took a seat across from him, greeting him back.

"Do you feel awkward at all? Being where you work I mean?"

Eddie shrugged at her question. "Not really, it's like a second home here honestly."

"How long have you worked here?" Patricia had assumed that he had only been working for half a year or so, due to his lack of stacking dishes and buttoning up his shirt correctly.

"Almost five years."

Patricia gaped at him lightly. "I guess you do know your way around here then."

"What can I say? I'm a proud Jersey boy."

"You're an obnoxious Jersey boy, that's what you are." Patricia smiled, and Eddie laughed. She knew that she was exceptionally funny, but her self-esteem on that matter had been lowered for a large portion of her life. People didn't generally opt to go out to breakfast and then volunteer to take the odd rebel girl around town. She rarely understood genuine laughter in her life. Her mother's heart had been broken numerous times, her father despised her, and Piper was too serious sometimes. Patricia had always felt out of her family loop for a while, but for some reason, Eddie seemed different. He treated her like he actually could care about her someday. And Patricia loved both the feeling and the thought.

***o***

"See that tree over there?" Eddie slung his arm over Patricia's shoulder in a friendly way, redirecting her attention to a large tree that stood tall and proud in the middle of a fenced in grassy area.

"How could I not see it?" Patricia asked, throwing him a teasing glance.

"At Christmas, it's _covered_ in lights." Eddie chose to continue on, only chuckling lightly at her words. "They make a huge deal out of it, but I kind of like that. I missed out on it this year because I was so busy at school. But I felt like my Christmas was sort of incomplete." The one thing Patricia figured out about Eddie almost immediately was that he was a totally sap. He had a story for every place they passed, and the memories always seemed to catch him off guard as he rambled on and on. They walked around the grass area's perimeter and crossed the street as Eddie continued to talk about his childhood Christmases.

"Hey look where we are!" Eddie exclaimed pointing across the street from where they were standing at the hotel Patricia was staying at.

"How the hell do you where know I'm staying?" She questioned.

"It's the only hotel in the heart of Princeton." Eddie smiled, nudging her for her obvious lack of concentration throughout the entire tour. Once again he was terribly close to her, a grin across his face. Patricia would admit that it wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as the last time, but she still wasn't sure what she was getting herself into. Part of her wanted to ask about his girlfriend and keep him away, but another part of her, the one influenced by Piper, knew that she should simply enjoy the fact that he wanted to spend time with her. "Well it's almost four and I have to get back home, but maybe I could catch you soon?"

"Definitely." Patricia sheepishly smiled. "It's not like I'm going anywhere, and you were a good tour guide."

"Then we should hang out sometime. Not a tour, but just hang around Princeton, that would be cool with you right?"

"Of course!" Patricia found herself openly excited by his offer. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well I just thought… that boyfriend of yours-"

"Shut up." Patricia punched his arm. "There isn't a boyfriend."

"I know." Eddie shrugged. "Just like there isn't actually a girlfriend." Patricia could see the hesitation in his face when he inhaled deeply. In a second, before she could eve register the thought of what was happening, Eddie kissed her cheek. Patricia swallowed back the hugest grin she felt she could have ever conjured up. Neither of them had been in a relationship before, but both could admit that the feeling, although it hadn't so much as happened yet, felt great. Eddie relaxed a bit when she didn't yell at him, and then briefly added, "I was just going to say that, if you actually had a boyfriend, he would have been really, really lucky guy."

***o***

**A/N: So please let me know what you thought, your words always make my day! And, of course, THEY'RE BACK TOGETHER. I mean the kiss, and then the forgiving-each-other-still-in-the-new-relationship-stage moments tonight were unbearable. I mean, Patricia's being nice, understanding, and forgiving?! I have so much hope for them now, and am so happy that they're back together. ;)**

**Note For Emma: Feel better, I missed you today! =)**

**~Grace**


	4. Everything Has Changed

**A/N: I want to start off again, with a gigantic thank you for your amazing responses to last chapter Thanks again, everyone! This is definitely one of my favorite chapters, so I hope you like it too! :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own House of Anubis**

***o***

"_And all I've seen, since 18 hours ago, is green eyes, and freckles and your smile in the back of my mind, making me feel right._

_I just want to know, you better know, you better know, you better now.x4_

'_Cause all I know is we said hello, and your eyes look like coming home, all I know since yesterday is_

_Everything has changed."_

_-Taylor Swift ft. Ed Sheeran; Everything Has Changed-_

***o***

Patricia touched her hand to the exact spot on her cheek where Eddie had kissed her yesterday. It was foolish, she'd admit, but that didn't stop her from replaying the moment, remembering exactly how she felt when he pressed his soft lips to her skin. They weren't in a relationship. Maybe it was a goodbye kiss, or a thanks-for-hanging-out-today-I'll-see-you-around-buddy kiss, but she wanted it to be more than that. And deep down she knew it was.

"What's wrong with your face?" Piper asked during breakfast. Patricia's hands self-cautiously flew up to her flesh, as she prodded her eyes and nose. Everything was in place. What was Piper talking about? "You haven't stopped touching your cheek for the past twelve hours. Does it hurt or something?" Piper leaned over the table, bringing her petite hand near Patricia's face.

"Don't touch me!" Patricia scolded her sister, swatting her hand away. Defeatedly, Piper sat back down in her seat. "I haven't been touching it at all."

"Right," Piper raised her eyebrows, a triumphant smirk on her face, "I suppose it wouldn't have anything to do with that magical day you spent with Eddie yesterday?"

"Of course not. And, excuse you, the day was not _magical_. He just showed me around Princeton. Nothing's going on between us."

"But you want there to be, don't you?"

Dammit. Piper was good.

"I was actually going to offer to show you around. Give you the grand tour, but now that you're being rude I-"

"No. I'm sorry, I sort of need a tour since you've been abandoning me recently."

"I left one time." Patricia argued. "But I can't show you around today; I already have plans."

"Of course you do." Piper groaned as if she was extremely used to it. "Where are you and Eddie going this time?"

"I don't know why you would immediately assume that I'm going to be with Eddie, but we aren't going anywhere. He has to work so I decided I'd just stop by and say hi."

"And that will take how long exactly?"

"Long enough that I'll show you around tomorrow, okay?"

"Fine." Piper slouched back in her seat with a sigh, "But you at least have to walk me to the university."

"Or you could get a taxi?"

"Patricia Williamson-"

"Let's go." Patricia sighed reluctantly, snatching her bag up from the chair she had it resting on and leading Piper out the door.

***o***

"Back already I see?" Eddie grinned when Patricia placed her elbows on the counter, deceiving other customers into thinking that she was actually trying to decide on what to order.

"Well I have nothing better to do, so I settled on seeing you." Patricia shrugged. "And by the way, you have a huge sugar mess over there. It's not appealing to customers to see that." Eddie glanced over his shoulder at the pile of dirty plates, spilt cups of coffee, packets of open and spilling sugar, and previously used coffee stirrers. Everything was thrown together on the back counter.

"Well-"

"Oh get out of my way." Patricia pushed past his arm, climbed over the counter, and put on an available waist apron that covered her ripped jean shorts. "You really _are_ hopeless." She started cleaning up, ignoring the looks of astonishment from customers and the giant grin on Eddie's face.

"Yacker, you're really not supposed to be helping me."

"As I said," Patricia started to wash off her sugar-and-coffee covered hands, "I have nothing better to do so shut up and accept the free help."

"Well, then thanks I guess."

Patricia nodded her "you're welcome" and continued to scrub down the dirty dishes. She found herself enjoying not only the time spent with Eddie, but the opportunity to work behind the counter. She helped him bake most of the muffins and various sweets because baking was one thing she secretly _adored._ She also took orders from customers, helped Eddie with the cash register (which he happened to break at the worst times,) and she made it her job to clean up, put away, and take down, any breakable mugs or plates because she told Eddie that he was absolutely incapable of doing so.

As the day died down, Eddie and Patricia's bickering and teasing got worse. They called each other names that made even the customers blush. Patricia also found it amusing to yank at the back of Eddie's white shirt, nearly choking him every time. He would return the favor by hitting his side against hers, occasionally sending whatever food or liquid that was in her hand onto the ground. He snickered every time which received him numerous flicks and slaps on the back of his head. Many returning customers from years past, who knew Eddie and his ways, assumed that the two were dating and didn't mind. However, new customers weren't seemingly as pleased. Of course, most people wouldn't want to be greeted by a state of bedlam the second they stepped into a coffee shop. And certainly not if the employees were causing the commotion.

By the time ten o'clock hit there wasn't an inch of the cafe that wasn't covered in some sort of wasted food. Eddie and Patricia had just ended an all-out flour fight, leaving them both decked head-to-toe in the white powder, and the floor decorated with it. For the first time since two, Patricia checked her phone and found six missed calls from Piper. Not good."Okay start cleaning up, I have to call Piper back." Patricia ordered.

"Bossy." Eddie moped, grabbing a rag and drenching it in hot kitchen water.

"I know." Patricia smirked at him before re-dialing her sister's number and walking outside. She was instantly hit with a disgustingly hot and humid breeze that made her feel extremely uncomfortable wearing the loads of whatever food Eddie had managed to throw at her during the day. The Princeton streets were decorated with orange lamps and several couples that were still out. Many of the store's windows were still lit up, but the shops themselves were not open. Leaning against the wall, and propping her right foot up against it as well, Patricia pulled her phone to her ear.

Their conversation was brief, Piper scolding Patricia for her lack of maturity throughout the day, as well as her permission given to Patricia to stay and help Eddie clean up. (Not that Patricia would have cared if Piper had told her she wasn't allowed to stay; she was going to, regardless.) Patricia told her twin to expect her back no later than midnight, and then she hurriedly hung up.

When she walked back into the shop, she was greeted with nothing but eerie silence. Her heart pounded as she scanned the dim room. Eddie was bound to be in there, she just didn't know where. After only a minute of searching, the American jumped out from underneath the counter, screaming in her face and throwing his arms out, which scared Patricia half to death. "You idiot. I could have died!" She hit him several times, but a smile remained plastered to both of their faces.

The two of them voluntarily decided to split up the work and then continued to clean the rest of the shop. Patricia had finished with all of the plates and mugs, swept the floor, and stacked the chairs up on tables before Eddie even had time to start wiping down the counters. He had however, put away all of the food, and taken out all of the needed ingredients for the next day's baking as he was supposed to.

Patricia sat on the counter above the bar stools, her feet swinging back and forth. She stared out the windows at the few pedestrians that were passing by. Before she could even process what she was saying, she started to ramble about her childhood, and Eddie listened closely. She told him how her dad had left in the middle of a huge fight. She had been eleven at the time, but she had felt a weak five years old as her parent's thunderous voices echoed through their house. She barely had had time to register what was happening by the time her father had slammed the door and her mother had burst into tears. She and Piper became unbelievably close in those first few months, but then their mother met James. Her step-father had sent them to separate boarding schools the instant that the family figured out that their mother was pregnant. Later, Patricia figured out that her mother hadn't let the girls know that James had left only days after their little brother, Noah, was born. Patricia and Piper grew up quickly due to everything that happened, but Patricia changed into a character to be looked down upon and Piper became excellent. Her parents favored Piper for her miraculous change in character almost immediately, and they looked down upon Patricia for the path she chose. "But the truth is that I am smart and I am kind, and they're just incapable of seeing that it's _all their fault_ that I became rebellious."

"Move your ass Yacker." Eddie pushed on her lower back, forcing her off the counter so that he could clean it off. "I sort of already knew that you were pretty awesome, by the way." Eddie averted his eyes and continued to wash away the flour from the counter that she was sitting on. Patricia was thankful that he wasn't looking at her; she didn't want him to see her smile stupidly and blush wildly.

"So… what about your parents?" Patricia leaned against the counter as Eddie finished cleaning it up. He made his way around the corner, carelessly tossing the rag onto the ground near the sink.

"My parents split up too." His voice was almost… wounded as he whispered this. "My mom and I are actually in this fight over it – she spends too much time with my step dad and evidentially doesn't seriously want me home over the summer." Eddie avoided mentioning that he had also told his mother that he was against any sort of relationship. He wanted Patricia to continue trusting him, he needed her to stay.

The lights in the store remained off, with the moon providing the only luminesce in the room. The dark blue of the sky bounced off of Eddie's skin, and lit up his eyes. He was _so_ close to her, and she felt his breath tickle her face again. They had been in this situation more than once, and both times Patricia had regretted not acting sooner. She did want him. So desperately. In the moment, she didn't give a crap about her vow to never fall in love because she was pretty sure she already mistakenly had. A smiled flashed across her face as he leaned in towards her, her body pressed up against the counter, his against hers, her hand on his chest, both of their hearts pounding so erratically that they swore the other could hear it. She could feel the tip of his top lip on hers, and she so badly wanted to kiss him, she was anxiously waiting for both of his lips to meet hers.

And just like all of the movies, the door was thrown open. Both the American and the Brit jumped away from each other, embarrassment flooding their cheeks as Daphne walked inside. "There you are." She shook her head. "Your mother's been looking for you. Got the whole town worried."

"My mother doesn't give a damn." Eddie rolled his eyes, pushing himself off of his position against the counter next to Patricia. He offered her an apologetic smile, rubbing his hand down her arm softly. Grabbing his sweatshirt, and placing a kiss on Daphne's plump cheek, he left the two women alone in the shop.

"I'm sorry dear, his mom's just so upset-"

"It's fine. Forget about it." Patricia grabbed his bag and fled out of the café for the second time that week. She wasn't sure if she was upset, embarrassed, or an extreme amount of both, but she knew that all she wanted was to sleep and forget about what had _almost_ happened, entirely.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she threw open the hotel room door, flung her stuff onto the ground, slipped out of her tight blouse, and without bothering to take off her makeup, or put on PJ's, tossed herself face flat onto the white hotel pillow with a pathetic whimper.

***o***

**A/N: So what'd you think? Please let me know! =)**

**~Grace**


	5. Broken Angel

**A/N: Also snuck into the chapter, but it's been about a week since that "almost kiss." ;) And, a big thank you to the positive response I got to the last chapter! You guys are all so kind. =)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own House of Anubis.**

***o***_  
"Inside you're dying 'cause you can't believe  
He would leave you alone, and leave you so cold  
When you were his daughter, but the __blood__ in your veins  
As you carry his name, turns thinner than water  
You're just a broken angel  
And I promise that it's not your fault  
It was never your fault"_

_-Boyce Avenue; Broken Angel-_

***o***

"Oh. It's you." Piper tried to slam the door, but Eddie caught it with his foot.

"I just need to talk to Patricia." He tried to reason with her.

"She's hasn't been answering your calls for a reason." Piper hissed, careful to make sure Patricia wouldn't hear them from the hotel bedroom. "Look, I really don't think you two should be getting so close-"

Eddie rolled his eyes, "I just want to talk to her." His eyes begged in such a desperate, pleading way that Piper felt ashamed of her rude attitude.

"Patricia!" The red head called over her shoulder, "someone's here to see you!"

"If it's Eddie tell him I'm busy!" Patricia called back as she continued to braid her hair.

Piper looked at Eddie for help, but the American only shrugged nervously. "It- It's the pizza delivery and I don't have any cash!" Piper attempted.

"Eddie get out." Patricia stuck her head out of the bathroom, providing just enough time for the boy to get inside the hotel room and grab her arm.

"Not until you hear me out." Patricia drew in a deep breath before finally allowing him to lead her outside.

"What?" She snapped the second that the door closed.

"I want to know what I did wrong."

"You don't know what you did wrong?" Patricia took a sharp breath. "Nothing." She sighed.

"_What?"_

"You didn't do anything wrong."

"Then why the hell are you avoiding me? I have been so worried and upset and nervous about you-"

"That's why I'm avoiding you!" Patricia gestured to him. "I'm avoiding you because already, two weeks into knowing each other you get overly protective and nervous. There isn't anything going on between us Eddie! There never was. I'm here for a vacation and if you want to show me around town, than be my guest, but we aren't even friends. And we will never _ever_ be more than that."

That stung. Eddie knew she was upset. He had been embarrassed too. His mom had yelled for hours about how worried and disappointed she was, and Eddie had argued that she had to stop getting worried about him, he was nineteen after all, and in the process of getting out of her hair for the rest of his life. But Patricia was the one person he had wanted to talk to all week long. He was going to bring her around the café more often, and he wanted his mom to the meet the girl that had kept him at work for an extra three hours a few nights ago. He wanted all of that with Patricia.

"Look, obviously you're upset at me. But I want to fix it."

"You can't." Patricia crossed her arms. "The damage is already done and forgotten."

"The damage?" Eddie inched closer to her. "You mean that almost kiss?" He chuckled, "I don't see any harm done in that. And are you telling me that you've _forgotten_ it? Because I didn't."

Patricia's shoulders relaxed and she gazed at him curiously, erasing her glare. Of course she hadn't forgotten. She couldn't forget the first time she ran into him and how upside down her world had gotten since then, let alone the time that their faces were nearly touching.

"I can't erase that feeling, Patricia. I still have that shivering feeling up my spine every time I think about it. I remember that you smelled like coffee beans, and there was a trace of flour down your cheek right here." Eddie traced his thumb over the place where he had first kissed her. Patricia jumped at his touch. "And your breath smelled like Daphne's mints, because we both know that you raided her collection." The two of them smiled at that. "And I remember exactly what it felt like when I had my arm around your waist-"

"Eddie," Patricia breathed lightly as he got closer, pressing her against the wall. She grabbed onto his shirt, keeping his lingering lips at bay. "I can't fall in love."

"What are you talking about?" he pressed his forehead to her's, and neither could deny how perfect it felt.

"I can't fall in love ever. Not with you, not with anyone. If I could, I would. I would fall in love with _you_." She squeezed her eyes shut, barricading the tears. "But I don't want to be put through what my mom went through. I can't-"

"I would never hurt you, Patricia." Eddie wrapped the upset girl in his arms, and ran his hand down her hair. "I would never, ever hurt you." Patricia jumped at his touch but soon the action felt normal, real, like she was used to being in his arms.

"That's what my dad said." Patricia sniffled. "But he hurt her. And he hurt Piper and he broke me into a million pieces. Even after the divorce- I was always the issue. It's always been my fault."

Eddie crushed her in a tighter hug, pressing his lips to her hair. "I used to think that too, but it isn't your fault. It isn't mine, it isn't anyone's fault. Sometimes things just happen-"

"And that's why I can't fall in love with you. That's why I can't even like you-"

"That's exactly why you already have fallen in love with me." Patricia's heart stopped at his words. Was it true? Had she already fallen in love with him? She couldn't tell, especially not right then. She didn't know how to tell. "Because things _just _happen."

Patricia finally gave in and let go of his shirt. She wrapped her arms around his muscular chest, holding him just as close to her as he was grabbing onto her.

"The funny thing is that I don't regret meeting you." Eddie smiled. "I've spent my entire life hating every single thing that has happened to me. My dad ignoring my letters, my calls, and my visits. My mom always wanting more from me. But then you came along." Eddie paused. "Patricia there is an infinitive number girls out there, but it was so amazingly different when I met you… I think that we're both really scared about taking risks in love. I told my mom, the day before I met you, that there was no way she would ever convince me to even go out with anyone, or meet a girl, but you-" Eddie sighed, and smiled into her clean, red hair, "you're amazing."

"Eddie please don't make me do this-"

"I'm not going to make you do anything." Eddie held onto her, allowing her to bury her face into the crook of his neck. "I just wanted to get that out, okay? I just need you to know that."

Patricia gave him the weakest nod that she could conjure up, and then kept herself wrapped in his arms. The two stayed there for what felt like an eternity; Eddie placed his chin on the top of her head and closed his eyes, embracing the feeling of actually holding her in his arms. And Patricia let him. For the first time since her father left, she allowed him to hold on as if he would never let go.

***o***

**A/N: Okay, a much shorter chapter, but I definitely had a whole comforting idea in my head, and I was happy to write it. Please, please leave a review, I love to hear your thoughts so much! :) Love you guys!**

**~Grace**


	6. The Only Exception

**A/N: WOW. I got so much positive feedback on the last chapter that I can't even begin to express my gratitude. There were so many reviews, full of so many kind words, that I appreciated so much. You are all so wonderful, and I'm so happy that you're all here, reading and reviewing. You make it all worthwhile! Also, to **_**from a hopeless teen,**_** I re-listened (for the first time in a while) to The Only Exception, and the song completely inspired the ending of this chapter because it's been so stuck in my head recently. I'm so glad that you helped me rediscover it, since I've truly fallen in love with the song all over again! Thanks, again. ;) **

**Disclaimer: I don't own House of Anubis.**

***o***

"_And I've always lived like this, keeping a comfortable distance_

_And up until now I had sworn to myself that I'm content with loneliness, because none of it was ever worth the risk.  
But you are the only exception,_

_You are the only exception."_

_-Paramore; The Only Exception-_

***o***

Patricia squeezed her eyes closed, and then opened them again, _trying_ to adjust to the natural light from the window and the evidentially fake, yellow luminesce provided by the hallway lamps and light bulbs. With a tired yawn, she placed her palm on Eddie's upper stomach, and pushed herself upright. She crossed her legs and used the flower wall paper that covered the hotel wall to rest her back and head. The two had fallen asleep right next to the decorative table in the hotel's hallway, forcing them into an uncomfortable position, in which Eddie spooned himself around nothing, trying to fit into the cramped space, and Patricia laid diagonal, to his left, her legs reaching out as a potential tripping hazard for anyone who walked by. It had been uncomfortable, and it was bound to be awkward when he woke up, but Patricia couldn't help but feel relieved and thankful that he had opted to stay by her side through the rest of the night, careful to keep her comforted.

She felt that no one had truly consoled her as well, as rationally, and as kindly as Eddie had. He hadn't muttered an 'I'm so sorry,' and Patricia was truly glad about that. It didn't make it better when someone apologized for something that wasn't their fault, so she didn't want it done. Instead, Eddie had promised her that it wasn't her fault, and while that normally would have been disregarded by the red head, he had backed it up with the fact that he used to feel the same way. His parents had gone through difficult times too, and Patricia felt that sometimes she forgot that he was equally as fragile as her. She couldn't tell if his rambling on and on about not liking anything in his life but her, the night before, was for his own benefit or not, but she appreciated the fact that he had spilled his feelings to her nonetheless. All that was left to do was for her to verbalize her feelings for him, and she just didn't know how.

Eddie stirred in his sleep, moving his head to an uncomfortable position against the wall. Patricia could see it in his face that he was tired and sore when his facial features scrunched up. After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, with Patricia unsure of what to do, the American stretched lightly, and sat up next to her, opening his eyes in the process. He mumbled out what sounded like a "good morning," but Patricia couldn't be sure through his yawn and drowsy morning voice.

"…'Morning." Patricia tucked her legs up to her chest, wrapping her arms underneath them, and resting her head on her knees. "Sleep well?"

Eddie let out a tired chuckle as he ran his fingers through his hair, and rubbed his groggy eyes. "Did you?"

Patricia wavered on her answer – should she admit that she had completely forgotten her uncomfortable position last night because she was next to him? No, that would be evidently cheesy, especially for her. "More comfortable than you, probably." Eddie offered her his cute, tired smile again, allowing his head to droop from the wall lightly. "You know, you might want to get some more sleep at your house, you look… tired." Patricia faltered, she had wanted to tell him that he truthfully looked awful, but if she was hoping to get her feelings out any time soon, that adjective would not be in her favor. Hesitantly, she reached her hand out and rubbed his back lightly, happy when his face read his thankfulness to the gesture. He may have looked horrible from his lack of sleep, but Eddie was an adorable morning person.

"I'd love more sleep, especially on a," Eddie yawned, "an actual bed, or sofa at the least, but I can't go home, Yacker." The American pulled his phone out of his jean pocket to check the time. "I have work in two hours." Patricia's shoulders slumped. She felt horrible for keeping him from a comfortable sleep. She knew that he had been the one to make the stupid decision to stay with her in the hallway, and hold her until she felt better, but she couldn't help feeling guilty about the way he was still rubbing his eyes, yawning, and stretching his back.

"How about I come back to the shop to help again?" She offered, lightly.

Eddie's green eyes fell on her, holding his patient look of curiosity. "I can do fine on my own-"

"I promise that I won't get you into so much trouble again. We can be mature and not throw food at each other or break plates, okay? I just feel really bad about keeping you up all night with my pathetic problems and then forcing you to stay here, and-" Patricia's rushed rambling was cut short when she felt Eddie's soft lips on her own. At first she was too excited and shocked to respond to anything, but almost immediately she started to kiss him back, bringing with her all of the bottled up emotions that she felt towards him.

As the red head's lips grazed his for one final peck, Eddie felt relieved and over joyed. She had openly told him that there wasn't anything going on between them the night before, and had quickly recovered herself by saying that if she could fall in love, she would fall in love with him. It had felt like a giant weight was lifted off of his chest when he had admitted that he liked her, and although she hadn't so much as come out and told him her honest opinon on him yet, the kiss that she was quick to return made it clear enough that she liked him too.

"So you want to come help out at the café today?" Eddie grinned widely at her, disbelieving that only moments before he had been kissing her. He wasn't sure if it was the fact that their relationship had just taken a step further, or if it was the lighting in the hallway, but Patricia appeared angelic. He had always known that she was beautiful before, but she look _gorgeous_, _magnetic_, _captivating, _in the moment that he was looking at her.

"Sure." Patricia's response was breathy and light, as if the realization of what had just happened hadn't sunk in yet. "Yeah let's go." She swallowed back her laughter – nothing was funny, but she felt giddily on top of the world.

***o***

"Oh look who's back!" Daphne wiped her hands on her apron before squeezing behind the counter to envelope Patricia in a giant hug. "We've missed you around here!" Patricia found it strange that Daphne had even begun to consider it normal for Patricia to hang around, but she figured that it had to have something to do with the way that Eddie had been acting since their _almost kiss_ from nights before. If Eddie didn't act or feel normal then it was as if the entire world was off orbit, or that was how it appeared to Patricia.

The American was like a god to the people that he grew up around. She wasn't sure how anyone could be that well known _and_ liked by a community, but Eddie had managed. The thought made her smile to herself; if he had the entire town kissing up to him then she had to be really special for him to suddenly fall for her of all people. She was rebellious, she lived on the opposite side of the world, and she was different. And while Eddie had an endless selection of girls to choose from, he only had his sights set on her – and she had only come for a vacation from England just weeks ago.

It was strange how things worked out. How stuff _just happened_.

"How've you been dear?" Daphne pulled away, quickly bringing her hand up to Patricia's cheeks and grasping them with a quick pat. "You look a bit pale."

"Really?"

Daphne's nose wrinkled up. "Must be that dreary London weather. Edison, haven't you taken this lovely girl to the beach yet?"

"I didn't think she'd want to go." Eddie looked up from behind the counter where he had started to set up for opening. "Would you want to go?" He looked over at Patricia, his attention focused solely on her. When their eyes met a smile graced both of their lips. That kiss was some sort of secret that they wouldn't mind sharing, but enjoyed having as their very own. They both knew that stolen glances would be common for a while.

"Yeah," Patricia shrugged, "it sounds like fun." As she emptied the contents on top of a collection of used plates into the trash can, she smiled to herself. All she had wanted from the vacation was to go to the beach, and now she had the possible opportunity of going with _Eddie_. Although he, or any boy for that matter, hadn't been on her list of something to be attracted to while she was in America, she was happy that he had happened to finally make it on the list. Through their already two difficult weeks they had clumsily tried to assemble and reassemble their friendship and relationship, but Patricia realized how worth the trouble ended up being. Eddie's constant, and semi-failed, attempts to be both forgiven and get her to accept him as more than a friend had been annoying, and seemed pointless, but Patricia was thankful that he hadn't given up. He was providing her with an entirely new view on love; she saw, for the first time, a relationship through the eyes of a hopeless romantic; perfect, beautiful, wonderful, and the best thing that could ever happen to anyone. Because she could that he already was one of the best things that had ever happened to her.

***o***

**A/N: Maybe it's because I'm overly obsessed with Peddie and don't even like it when they're **_**just friends**_**, but I personally really enjoyed this chapter! What about you guys? Did you like it? Please tell me your thoughts! :) Love ya!**

**~Grace**


	7. Today Was A Fairytale

**A/N: This takes place about 2 days after their kiss**

**Disclaimer: I don't own House of Anubis**

***o***

"_Today was a fairytale; you were the prince, I used to be a damsel in distress._

_You took me by the hand, and you picked me up at six, today was a fairytale._

_Today was a fairytale._

_Today was a fairytale; I wore a dress, you wore a dark grey t-shirt._

_You told me I looked pretty when I looked like a mess, today was a fairytale."_

_-Taylor Swift; Today Was A Fairytale-_

_***o***_

"It happened very quickly," Piper clenched a comb in her teeth as she puffed out the tips of Patricia's curled hair. "Didn't it?"

"Yeah… I guess." Patricia looked over the girl in the mirror; her own reflection. It was supposed to be her, but she felt so different. The purple halter dress, borrowed from Piper, fanned above her knees, the scarce make-up lightened up her face, and the eight perfect red ringlets of her hair framed her face. Nothing really screamed _Patricia _to her, but she couldn't help a small smile from still creeping onto her face. She was meant to look better-than-normal, she wanted to look better-than-normal, and staring at this better-than-normal side of her made her feel beautiful, special, and wanted.

"I certainly hope you two aren't rushing into anything. He's your first boyfriend, don't get overly attached." Piper looked over her sister one last time, a huge smile decorating her lips at what she had accomplished. Patricia looked _perfect._

"We're not rushing, Piper." Patricia ran her fingers over the bathroom counter top, taking one final look at herself in the large mirror. "I mean maybe we've jumped into things faster than _some_ people, but this is our first official date, everything that happened before this," Patricia shrugged, "we were just friends then."

"Mmhhm." Piper ran over to her drawer to grab a matching purse for her sister. "So you two were just friends when you slept together and made out?"

"Piper!" Patricia's cheeks burned red-hot as her throat dried up and her heart started to beat at even the thought. "It wasn't like that, and you know it. We didn't _sleep together_!" The red-head hissed to her twin. "We also didn't make out. It was a few short kisses; it was like making his words official."

"His words?" Piper caught on to everything that Patricia let slip.

"Well he told me, the night when he was simply _comforting _me, that he liked me, a lot and that I was the first thing in his life that he felt truly happy about."

"Aww," Piper smiled, "so what'd you tell him?"

"…Nothing." Patricia sighed, disappointedly. It wasn't something that she was particularly proud of – she still hadn't told the boy who kissed her that she liked him. She had a bucket full of words that were yearning to escape but that couldn't find freedom.

"You haven't said anything yet?" Piper sounded exasperated, worried feelings marking her sea blue eyes.

"I know, I promise that I'll tell him everything tonight, okay?"

"Don't be promising me, Trix. Whatever you do and say, or don't, it's on you and your relationship with Eddie. If he can't handle the truth then he isn't right for you, and if you can't get the truth out then you aren't right for him. A relationship as all about trusting the other person enough to the point where you know that they'll accept you for who you are, what you like, or how you feel, no matter what."

"Yeah, yeah." Patricia's shoulders slouched back, and she let out a sigh.

"Don't be nervous. Just be sure to not hurt him."

"What?" Patricia laughed mockingly at her sister.

"I don't mean physically. I'm being serious, Patricia. _You_ don't want to fall in love because of mum and dad. If Eddie went through the same thing as us then he probably has the same fear-"

"He does." Patricia sighed, lightly.

"Okay then, don't be the one who breaks his heart. If you're scared that he'll ruin your love life, don't ruin his."

Patricia nodded nonchalantly, letting the though seep through her mind. Piper's words continued to run through her head; she hadn't dwelled on the possibility that Eddie could possibly be nervous that she would crush his heart too. He always acted so cool and confident; he made it seem that he couldn't possibly be upset over something like that. But once her twin's words started to sink in, Patricia promised herself that she would be careful with him. She didn't want to put _him_ through _her_ biggest fear.

***o***

Eddie was always on time. Regardless of the weather, or circumstances, he always showed up for their "get-togethers" exactly on time. As Patricia's eyes wavered to the white numbers on her phone, reading six o'clock exactly, she thought back to the time that he had invited her on a tour of Princeton, arriving at the café even earlier than their set time. A lot had happened since then, but not much had changed. Patricia constantly had a happy feeling in the pit of her stomach when she thought of him, but they had shared only one kiss. She couldn't even call him her boyfriend yet and she wasn't sure when she was supposed to start.

He had only knocked on the door once, signaling his presence, and then stood back patiently waiting for it to be opened. He heard muffled conversations and a squeal, which he assumed Piper had made, before the door swung open. Patricia looked stunning. He couldn't keep the goofy smile off of his face as he looked at her, done up in a purple dress that clung to her body perfectly, and her red hair curled to top it off. She looked kinder, more mature, more like the girl he thought he would fall in love with someday. He found himself secretly happy, though, to know that under the girly make-up was that same snarky, rude, agitating red-headed Brit that he ended up falling for instead.

"Ready to go?" Eddie pulled his free hand out of his jean pocket and offered it to her. With one final glance at Piper, Patricia took his hand and allowed him to lead her down the hall and into the elevator. "You look amazing, by the way." Eddie whispered, not letting go of their hand-hold.

"Thank you." Patricia wanted to comment on how great _he_ looked, but she felt that it would seem awkward for her to comment on his form fitting, dark grey t-shirt, even if he looked unbearably good in it. Eddie gave her hand a small squeeze and shot a smirk in her direction.

"So, are you going to ask me where we're going tonight?"

"Why would I do that?" Patricia drawled, as if Eddie even suggesting it was stupid.

"Well, Yacker, what if I was going to kidnap you? Wouldn't you want to know where we're going _at least_ for your own benefit?" Patricia rolled her eyes at him but a smile tugged at her lips anyway.

"Fine," Patricia huffed as the two began to walk out of the elevator. "Where are we going tonight?" Although her tone was marked with annoyance, she genuinely seemed to find the situation semi-amusing.

"Oh, yeah _that's_ why I wanted you to ask;" Eddie sent a wink at her, "it's a surprise."

"_Weasel_." Patricia slapped his arm with a huff.

Although she was fairly knew to the area, or at least compared to Eddie, Patricia was surprised when the American turned them right out of the building instead of taking a left. A few fancy restaurants were lined up down that street but not only were they far too expensive, they were taking the worst way to them. "Okay, we're almost there." Eddie covered her eyes and carefully led her up the stairs near the local park. Patricia laughed lightly, pulling at his hands, and then finally giving up. "And here we are." Eddie removed his hands, revealing a picnic blanket laid down right next to the town's center tree.

"Eddie," Patricia smiled and then carefully tucked her dress hem underneath her legs and sat down on the edge of the blanket. "This is great, thank you."

Eddie grinned widely but tried to hide it. He had to have done _something_ purely amazing to get Patricia-Queen-of-Mean-Williamson to _thank _and _compliment_ his work. "Of course, Yacker." He took a seat near her and carefully started to unpack the picnic basket. Patricia stifled a smile at the realization that the basket was only full of fresh baked pastries and mini Panini sandwiches that the Small World Coffee served. She'd openly admit, though, that his effort was _adorable._

***o***

"Hey, Eddie?" The red head glanced up at him from the picnic blanket, her eyes skimming his for a second before she decided that she was too nervous to look him in the eye and say this.

"Yeah?" Eddie's eyes flashed over to her, and he was surprised when she averted her glance.

"About what you said last night," Patricia emitted a huge sigh as her fingers grazed the perfectly cut, green, summer grass. "You admitted a lot to me." Eddie nodded lightly, but he was honestly hoping that she wouldn't make him repeat his words to her. He had been nervous enough the first time. "And I didn't really say anything to you." _This is it. Not for Piper, but for you and Eddie._ Patricia reminded herself, attempting to continue.

"You okay, Yacker?" Eddie tossed her his half smile, green eyes gleaming as the sun began to set, casting a rainbow of colors through the sky.

"I just want you to know that I feel the same way." Patricia stifled a proud smile for getting the words out, and Eddie grinned ear to ear.

"Really?"

"Don't act like a doofus." Patricia shook her head lightly. "And… really." She assured the American while he continued to grin over at her. It was completely relieving to get the words off of her chest. After going through with it, though, she was unsure of why she had even been nervous in the first place. Piper had been right; Eddie did accept her for who he was, and she assumed that all she really had to do was acclimate to the feeling.

***o***

"Okay," Eddie sighed nervously. Whatever he was about to say, Patricia could tell he had been thinking it over. "So you know how Daphne suggested the beach the other day?" She gave him a nod of affirmation, and tucked the blue picnic blanket under her arm tighter to keep it from slipping. "I was thinking that maybe you'd want to go?"

"Yeah, of course I'd want to go." Patricia eyed him warily. If _that_ was what he had to spit out than she was curious to see how he acted with important news.

"No, Yacker, I mean tonight. Do you want to come with me tonight to my beach house? I haven't been there forever and I have tomorrow off, I just figured you'd want to go." At her hesitation, Eddie added, "unless, you have plans already?"

"Oh, no, no, I don't have plans." Patricia quickly jumped in. "I just don't know about Piper-"

"That's the point, Yacker! It'll just be us. You want a _real_ vacation, don't you? Just to get away from Piper _and_ Princeton?" Patricia nodded, heaving a sigh. "I think you'll really like it-"

"Fine, fine. I'll go." Patricia waved her hands in her face to shut him up, a grin on her face. "But if my sister decides to kill me later, it'll be on you. Got it?"

"Perfectly clear." Eddie smiled back at her, finding her threat amusing. "I'll be back here in half an hour. Pack whatever you need, and don't tell anyone."

"I feel like we're committing a crime." Patricia hissed back at him, her fingers wavering on the hotel's front door.

"Why makes you think we aren't?" Eddie quickly pressed a kiss to her cheek, and then practically sprinted to his car. Patricia shook her head at his immaturity before disappearing behind the door and rushing upstairs to grab her stuff.

Man. Piper was going to _murder _her for this.

***o***

**A/N: Ah… to be young and to be in love. Well, tell me what you thought please! Next chapter, Eddie and Patricia are going to take a trip to the beach… should get interesting, yeah?**

**~Grace**

**A/N To Emma: Have soooo much fun at your TAYLOR CONCERT tonight. I'll miss you during Spring Break, enjoy SC though. See you guys when we get back! =) ~GracieGrace ;)**


	8. All Too Well

**A/N: Okay, just so you know, this chapter has nothing to do with the meaning or story behind the song All Too Well, it's a lot more of a filler chapter, and I just used a few scattered in lines from the song, because the previous relationship that Taylor sings about sounds really cute. ;) Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own House of Anubis**

_***o***_

_You tell me about your past, thinking your future was me…  
…'Cause there we are again in the middle of the night.  
We're dancing around the kitchen in the refrigerator light…_

_-Taylor Swift; All Too Well-_

_***o***_

"Hey, Eddie." Eddie dropped his duffel bag at his feet, his heart momentarily stopping out of shock. Listening to it pound in his ears, the American ran his hand over the wall, desperately searching for the light switch. Once he had the dim yellow glow lighting the room, he squinted over at his mother, her arms a crossed and a small smile on her face. "Going somewhere, honey?" She pushed herself off of the counter and began absentmindedly brewing a pot of coffee.

"No-not really." Eddie looked down at his feet where his bag rested. Stupid, obvious evidence.

"Honey, you're nineteen." Mrs. Miller began to grab packets of sugar and the creamer bowl and assemble her coffee fixings near the boiling pot. "So who's the girl?"

Eddie let out a sigh, dropping his head with a soft chuckle. "Maybe there still isn't one."

Mrs. Miller rolled her eyes and pulled a keychain from her back pocket. "Keys make a lot of noise when one of them is being removed," she tossed the keychain in her son's direction. "And it's extremely obvious if you remove the large, untouched, brass one that has a starfish decorating it to symbolize the beach house." Mrs. Miller shot Eddie a knowing look, a small smirk pressed to her still lip gloss covered lips.

"If you wanted to take this mystery girl to the beach house, you could've just asked me."

"You're not going to stop me?" Eddie looked over at her, questions running through his mind.

"Not only are you nineteen but you've never been with anyone before." Mrs. Miller sighed, forcing two cups of coffee in his hands. "Maybe, a few years ago the idea would have been so absurd that it would've been unthinkable. But, now, you're grown up and you're moving out in two weeks. Of course, the fact that you're still here means that I want to know where you are, but you're old enough to be smart. I can't make decisions for you anymore, Eddie."

Eddie looked over at her with a sincere grin on his face. He had never experienced the side of his mom that understood his decisions, or at least accepted them. "I also would've liked to meet her first." Mrs. Miller laughed lightly, patting her son's back. "But it's obviously too late for that now, so I'll see _both_ of you soon, okay?" Eddie nodded confirmation and then carefully scooped the duffel bag over his arm and onto his shoulder to keep the coffee from spilling. "And, Eddie, drink the coffee to keep you awake for the drive, okay?"

"Sure. Love you, mom." Eddie pressed a kiss to his mom's face in his moment of giddiness. Now, he didn't even have to feel guilty about leaving. Now, his mom was allowing him to go.

"Love you too, honey." She rubbed his back gently and then watched him disappear out of the front door. She had never wanted to let him sneak out late at night, epically with a girl, but when he never ended up bringing one home, when he was younger, she had thought something was wrong. Finally, for the first time ever, seeing him happy for the reason that many college guys are happy, she felt relieved. Although it had been hard to let go, she knew that she made the right decision by allowing him to leave. A girl who was capable of quickly winning over the heart of undatable-Miller had to be extremely special.

***o***

"Yacker?" Eddie tapped his knuckles as lightly as he could on Patricia and Piper's hotel door and whispered Patricia's nickname.

"Doofus," Patricia unlocked the door and then quickly slipped out. "Piper's not home yet."

"Home." Eddie smiled at her word choice; it was, after all, only an uncomfortably cramped hotel room. He traded her, a coffee mug for her bag, and then as quietly as possible (after all, who knew what other guests could find out,) began leading her to the elevator.

"What's with the coffee?" Patricia waved her mug in his face. He had been happy that she hadn't questioned it earlier, and he had been hoping it would stay that way. But Patricia had to know everything, so he shouldn't have even gotten his hopes up in the first place.

"My mom… she wants it to keep us awake _and_ alive for the drive down."

"_Your mom?_" Great. Patricia didn't sound particularly open to the thought.

"Look, she was there when I was trying to leave – I didn't even know that she was home!"

"So then how are you here?" Patricia inhaled and gave Eddie an eye roll.

"I was going to come either way," he shrugged. "She just didn't make me put up the fight that I was planning she would have."

Patricia exhaled through her nose and crossed her arms. "Well, lucky you. I left Piper a note because if I even call her she'll freak."

"Well where is _Piper_?" Eddie sneakily led her out of the hotel, careful of the few scattered employees that were on watch. If they caught them and said something to Piper, he was pretty sure that they would die, or so he assumed from what Patricia said.

"She's preparing for a concert. They have late Saturday practices, and their concert's next week. I have to go to be supportive." Patricia glanced down at her feet and then over at Eddie. "Maybe you'd want to come?"

"A concert; not really my thing, Yacker." Eddie slipped their bags into the trunk, and then opened her door for her. (Although Patricia muttered that she could handle herself, thank you very much.)

"Well it's not my thing either, but I still have to go." She shot back at him.

"We'll see." Eddie sighed defeatedly. She didn't do it in a cute way, but Patricia was an amazing convincer. "Okay," Eddie put the car key in the ignition. "Ready?"

Patricia nodded soundlessly, holding her breath for whatever was about to come. It sounded fun, yes, the entire idea was intriguing. She never would have run off, even it was only for one night, with any boy last year. But at the same time, that excited sensation was out balanced by the churning feeling that she was doing the stupidest, guiltiest thing possible.

***o***

Patricia's mind began to drift and her eyelids fluttered. Really, with Eddie blasting her favorite Sick Puppies songs and the wind slashing at her face, she should have been able to stay awake, but her mind was so focused on other thoughts. She knew that she liked Eddie, she truly did, but she couldn't help but feel that she shouldn't have accepted his offer. Sure, that hidden girly part of her always wondered what it would be like to sneak away with a cute guy, but she wasn't even scared about her parents. What if Piper called the police? Patricia couldn't shake the idea of her overly-paranoid sister doing something drastically stupid that would get them in trouble. Plus, Patricia couldn't even decipher Piper's thoughts on the relationship. While she seemed genuinely happy for her, Piper also threw in too much advice that made Patricia question how much she trusted either of them.

"Yacker, you okay?" Eddie glanced over at the red head and then quickly pulled his eyes back to the road. Patricia was staring off into space, her knuckles absentmindedly tapping a beat on the passenger seat's interior door handle.

"Yeah, fine." Patricia responded with a deep breath, she looked over at him, snapping herself out of her own thoughts.

"We can go home, if you want. I'll turn around." Patricia looked over at him; he was offering her this as though he really could read her mind. The Brit scrunched her eyebrows at his words; his offer seemed so ridiculous – she couldn't even believe how badly she _didn't_ want him to turn around.

"No, don't," she quickly responded. "I'm just a bit tired, I'll be fine."

"You're a really good liar, you know that?" Eddie smirked, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

Patricia raised her eyebrows in shock. "If I'm such a good liar, than what makes you think that I just lied?"

"Because you're Patricia, and this kind of stuff scares you."

"But I really am tired!" Patricia argued.

"Oh, I know," Eddie chuckled at Patricia's evident scowl. "But I also know that you're glad to have had an excuse to cover up the fact that secretly you're worried about Piper." Patricia groaned and crossed her arms, while Eddie placed a satisfied grin on his face. "Look, I get that Piper can be a bit intimidating, she's very safety conscious and what not, right?" Patricia nodded, so Eddie continued. "Maybe she'll get a bit mad, so what? She'll understand enough to accept it. Trust me."

"I do." Patricia nodded shakily.

"You do what?"

"I trust you." Patricia felt relieved when she saw Eddie smiling out of the corner of her eye.

"So, um… Piper?" Eddie cleared his throat awkwardly when he realized that she was looking over at him and he didn't know how to respond to her. "What type of music does she play?"

Patricia let out a laugh that made it seem like she had been holding her breath for too long. "Classical, classical on the piano, the violin, the viola, the cello-"

"So she's a one girl orchestra?"

"I guess you could say that." Patricia averted her eyes as she smiled, "Once, actually, I did buy her a Sick Puppies music book, for the piano, for her birthday. Big mistake."

Eddie laughed. "So, her classical music – do you dance to it?" He grinned widely, knowing the answer already.

"Me?" Patricia laughed, "dance? I can't dance for my life." She squinted over at Eddie. "Why the sudden curiosity?" She smiled as an idea popped into her head. "Oh my god, do you dance?"

"What? No. No," Eddie looked over at her, "I just wanted to know. Jeez, Yacker – don't jump to impossible conclusions."

"You mean like the way you did about me and _dancing_ of all things?"

"Haha." As they reached a stoplight and other cars on either side of them passed, Eddie reached his hand from the wheel to hers. Patricia was surprised by how normal it felt, so she let his fingers slip through hers and give her hand a light squeeze. He smiled over at her and then let out an awkward sigh when the light turned green and he had to reach up to grab the steering wheel. The rest of the car ride was silent, besides the few coughs here and there and the faint, almost forgotten, songs twirling from Eddie's car radio.

***o***

"Ah, home sweet home." The sound of waves crashing onto the shore and seagulls flapping around in the black night sky grew distant as Patricia followed Eddie into his massive beach house.

"Wow." She breathed out a smile as her eyes floated to the polished hardwood floors, the moon casting a beautiful glow off of them.

"The light switch is around here somewhere." Eddie fumbled through the dark, tripping over bags and tables that he didn't know were there. His hands finally clasped onto a switch, only turning on enough of an almost burnt out blub to barely light up the hallway. "Do you want a tour now, or do you want to crash in the guest room?"

"I think I'm ready to crash." Patricia bent down to pick up her duffle bag. "I was tired an hour ago, remember? Tour in the morning?"

"Sure, Yacker." Eddie smiled lightly and then placing his hand on the small of her back, he led her upstairs to one of three guest rooms. "I'll be right across the hall? Come get me if you need anything, okay?"

"Yeah, definitely." Patricia went to close the door behind him, but he caught it with his foot.

"You're forgetting something? Aren't you?" She grinned lightly as he brought his lips to hers for a short kiss. "Goodnight, Yacker."

"Night." She ran a hand down his back gently as he turned around and disappeared into his own room. Letting out a tired sigh, she crawled thankfully into the soft bed and shut her eyes.

***o***

Patricia pulled the load of blankets off of her face and let out a disappointed groan when she realized, by looking out of her window at the black appearing ocean mixed with the darkly colored sky, that it was still very, very early in the morning. Giving up on her hopes of closing her eyes and opening them again to find a blue sky, Patricia sat up and placed her feet on the floor. Stretching, she stumbled out of bed and then opened up the door. Hesitantly, her hand rested on the handle of the room she had seen Eddie go into before she had closed her own door earlier. She let out an annoyed huff when she pushed open the door silently, only to find that he wasn't asleep, or even in the room.

"Eddie?" Her hand ran along the wall as she descended the creaking staircase, afraid that something would jump out at her. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard a sports announcer's voice and saw the flickering of a TV. She craned her neck around the wall to find Eddie, half asleep, with a bowl of popcorn in his lap, flipping through channels. She turned around to find that she was in the kitchen, and then helped herself to a glass of water. "You couldn't sleep either?" She chose to sit on an arm chair across from him, careful to not startle the crap out of him, after she had hydrated herself.

"Not really." He yawned. "So what kept you up… monster in your closet or something?"

"Shut up," She rolled her eyes jokingly. "This whole thing just has me nervous."

"Hey, it's done. Whatever, so you're here for a night, we're hanging out, and you're getting the vacation that you're entitled to. Calm down."

"I know, I just-"

"Seriously, Patricia," Eddie cut her off, "clam down and forget about it. How about we, I don't know, dance to take your mind off of it?"

"You're insane." Patricia sighed, slumping back into the chair. "I told you, I don't dance." Her eyes followed him as he placed the popcorn bowl at his side, stood up, stretched, turned off the TV, and then offered her his hand.

"I don't either. It'll only look natural." She glared up at him with a sigh. "C'mon," he begged with a charming smile, "it's good practice, anyway."

"What are you practicing for, huh?" She accepted his hand warily, and was surprised when he led her into the kitchen. With his free hand, Eddie pulled open the stainless steel refrigerator door and let it hang there, showing off its bare racks, where food should have been.

"I'm practicing for years from now when I' m not using a refrigerator for lighting at our- at my wedding." Eddie looked down, embarrassed by his slip up, but pulled her close to him and began to move his feet to the made up music in his head.

Part of Patricia wanted to snap at him, or at least question him, for saying _our wedding_. How could he possibly have even started to think of a future like that? With her, especially? However, the smart, think-before-you-talk part of her stayed quiet and focused on moving her feet with his. There were moments in her life when something had gone terribly wrong because she hadn't thought before speaking. She didn't want to lose Eddie over a simple mistake, a mistake that made her trust and like him even more. For once, she kept quiet, and didn't regret anything - she didn't have to regret talking this time, and she certainly didn't regret keeping quiet.

They stayed there for what felt like forever, their arms around each other, tripping over each other's feet, allowing the refrigerator light to shine on their blushing faces. Everything that Patricia was nervous about - Piper, her parents, Eddie's mom - it all vanished and she found herself truly happy that she had agreed to leave with Eddie. It was only going to be twenty four hours of a retreat, after all, which was a short amount of time that they could spend being themselves, alone, and yet very much together.

***o***

**A/N: Okay, so they're finally there and the beach will definitely be next chapter, but is there a song that anyone can think of that would work well for a beach scene/running away vacation thing/ogling over the each other thing? If so, please let me know! And please, please review! I know that this took a little longer than usual (probably because I just started and finished the first season of Pretty Little Liars and am IN LOVE with it!) but your reviews and support are always motivating and keep me going! I hope you all had a great Easter! Love you guys! =)**

**~Grace**


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